I'm failing in schoolLosing my friendsMaking my family lose their mindsI don't want to eatI don't want to sleepI only want Leyna one more time

"All For Leyna" is another femme fatale song by Billy (see "Stiletto"). It describes a young man's infatuation with a woman, Leyna, and is more about the effect she has on the young man, rather than about the woman herself. Even though she leads him to peril, he is still desperate for her. If you have ever been crazy in love or lust with someone, then you'll understand. Apparently, the song was inspired by a young woman who was a friend of someone connected with Billy's band or management, and had visited the recording studio or office one day stirring up lust among everyone in the band, as well as inspiring this song. It is an urgent and raw synthesizer-driven song, pure 1980s pop.

Nelly Furtado, who became a Billy Joel fan when listening to Glass Houses as as young child, performed "All For Leyna" at a MusicCares benefit honoring Billy Joel in 2002. She won the Grammy that year for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "I'm Like A Bird."

She stood on the tracksWaving her armsLeading me to that third rail shockQuick as a winkShe changed her mind

She gave me a nightThat's all it wasWhat will it take until I stopKidding myselfWasting my time

There's nothing else I can do'Cause I'm doing it all for LeynaI don't want anyone new'Cause I'm living it all for LeynaThere's nothing in it for you'Cause I'm giving it all to Leyna

We laid on the beachWatching the tideShe didn't tell me there were rocksUnder the wavesRight off the shoreWashed up on the sandBarely aliveWishing the undertow would stopHow can a man take anymore

There's nothing else I can do'Cause I'm doing it all for LeynaI don't want anyone new'Cause I'm living it all for LeynaThere's nothing in it for you'Cause I'm giving it all to Leyna

I'm failing in schoolLosing my friendsMaking my family lose their mindsI don't want to eatI don't want to sleepI only want Leyna one more time

Now I'm in my roomWatching the tubeTelling myself she still may dropOver to sayShe's changed her mind

So, I wait in the darkListening for her,Instead of my old man saying stop...Kidding yourself,Wasting your time

There's nothing else I can do'Cause I'm doing it all for LeynaI don't want anyone new'Cause I'm living it all for LeynaThere's nothing in it for you'Cause I'm giving it all to Leyna

All for LeynaAll for Leyna

Billy gives a sneak preview of "All For Leyna" in a 1979 concert in Houston before the release of Glass Houses in 1980.

Billy Joel on “All For Leyna” on SiriusXM (audio only)

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